Edmonton Notes for March 25, 2018

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• The provincial budget was unveiled this week and it included $1.5 billion in LRT funding for Edmonton which means the Valley Line LRT West will go ahead as planned. “This means the Government of Alberta recognizes the importance of public transit in building a prosperous city,” said Mayor Don Iveson in a statement. On the other hand, Edmonton’s share of MSI funding will drop “by $61 million this year and hold at that lower rate until a new deal is negotiated.”
• The Winspear Centre received $13 million in funding in the provincial budget, to support its planned expansion. The centre now has “about 50 per cent of the estimated $53 million needed for the completion project.”
• The Edmonton Galleria project was “suspended” this week. “It’s a mess,” wrote Paula Simons, wondering what will happen to the “deluxe pedway to nowhere.” I wrote about why I thought Council was wrong to support the project back in 2014.
• City Council has voted to permanently close the Coliseum, which means it’ll likely be demolished. This was the right decision, long overdue.
• “The new epicentre of Edmonton’s downtown? It’s located in what used to be a rundown area of cheap buildings and dusty parking lots,” says David Staples in a piece on the JW Marriott Edmonton which has topped out at 56 storeys.
• The City of Edmonton has taken over the Boyle Street Plaza from the Boyle Street Community League citing mismanagement. As of August 31, the YMCA will take over operations.
• Congratulations to Edmonton’s 2018 Hall of Fame inductees! The Salute to Excellence induction ceremony will take place on June 11 at the Winspear Centre.
• Edmonton Police Chief Rod Knecht is thinking about extending his contract, which is set to expire on October 31, 2018. He first took over as chief in 2011.
• EPSB is looking for a new high school in the Meadows at a cost of $79 million as part of its new capital plan.
• The Starlight Casino at West Edmonton Mall will be Alberta’s largest casino by the time construction is finished in August. “The casino will have capacity for 32 gaming tables, eight poker tables, 850 slot machines and about 2,000 customers, including restaurants.” It is replacing the old Palace Casino.
• With his term as historian laureate coming to an end this month, Chris Chang-Yen Phillips reflects on his role.
• You’ve probably seen the advertisements for Vision 2050, which is an update to the City’s strategic plan. There are a series of workshops taking place this week, plus you can fill out the online survey until March 30. Here are some of the other open surveys the City is currently running.
• Here are the finalists for the City’s HealthHack competition. “The finalists have until April 16, 2018, to work on their prototypes. Winners will be announced on April 20, 2018.”
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

E-Town, photo by Kurt Bauschardt

Upcoming Events

• Outgoing EEDC CEO Brad Ferguson will “reflect on his tenure with EEDC and discuss the challenges facing the Edmonton Business Community” at a lunchtime event at NAIT on Tuesday.
• Tuesday night is Fan Appreciation Night at Rogers Place as the Oilers host the Columbus Blue Jackets.
• The City is hosting an orientation session for the Vacant Lot Cultivation Pilot Project on Tuesday evening at the John Walter Museum.
• Nancy Southern, CEO of ATCO, will be recognized at this year’s annual Canadian Business Leader Award dinner on Wednesday.
• Edmonton Opera is hosting Opera 101: Staging Don Giovanni during #MeToo on Wednesday evening at CKUA.
• LIGHTS is performing at the Winspear Centre on Thursday evening.
• Roll Call is “a place for people who are just getting into speaking to share their ideas and get comfortable with speaking in front of crowd” and they’re holding an introductory speaking event on Friday morning at Homestead Coworking.
• Video Games Live is taking place the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium on Friday evening.
• Easter Hoppenings takes place at the Muttart Conservatory on Sunday.
• The next Green Drinks, Farm to Fork, is coming up on April 4.
• The Global Edmonton Woman of Vision luncheon is coming up at the Shaw Conference Centre on April 6.
• Happy Easter!

Downtown Library March 2018, photo by jasonwoodhead23